Police Fire Tear Gas In Protest Against German Virus Law
Muhammad Irfan Published April 21, 2021 | 07:28 PM
Police fired tear gas as thousands of people demonstrated in Berlin on Wednesday against a proposed amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures
Berlin, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Apr, 2021 ) :Police fired tear gas as thousands of people demonstrated in Berlin on Wednesday against a proposed amendment to give Angela Merkel's government power to impose tougher anti-coronavirus measures.
With Germany buckling under a third wave of the virus, the amendment allowing for nationwide curbs like school closures and night-time curfews aims to end a political tug-of-war between the Federal government and the 16 regional states over virus restrictions.
Around 8,000 protesters gathered ahead of a vote on the law in the Bundestag lower house of parliament on Wednesday, with more than 2,000 police officers deployed to the scene.
Protesters were carrying placards with slogans such as "Merkel & Co = high treason" and chanting "Wir sind das Volk" ("We are the people") -- a common refrain in the run-up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Police started breaking up the demonstrations in the afternoon as protesters were not wearing masks or observing social distancing, a police spokeswoman said.
Seven people were arrested, added police.
Dubbed the "emergency brake", the law prescribes tough measures including sweeping shutdowns and overnight curfews in regions with incidence rates of more than 100 new infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days.
It would also force schools to revert to virtual teaching in states where the incidence rate exceeds 165.
Only one state had an incidence rate below 100 on Wednesday, while seven topped 165 -- including the two most populous of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Fierce opposition - The curfews would apply from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am in areas with high infection rates, with exceptions for lone walkers and joggers before midnight.
The proposals have come under fierce opposition, particularly the plans for curfews in a country still scarred by memories of Nazi and communist dictatorships that spied on citizens and stole their freedoms.
In a heated debate over the amendment, Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus of the pro-business FDP said the curfews were "not an appropriate measure" and the party would take legal action against them.
If passed by the parliament, the law will go to a second vote in the upper house, or Bundesrat, on Thursday before being signed off by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Virus restrictions in Germany have so far been decided in consultations between Merkel and the leaders of the 16 states, with the regions ultimately responsible for implementing them.
But in many cases, regional leaders have failed to put in place shutdown measures which they agreed with Merkel, with many choosing broad interpretations of the rules.
Merkel warned in a rare tv interview in March that she would not stand by and watch infection rates continue to rise, threatening the regional leaders with a change in the law if they did not play ball.
- 'Cry for help' - Defending the plan for tougher rules in parliament on Friday, Merkel pointed out that other countries have imposed far more restrictive measures.
"The third wave of the pandemic has our country firmly in its grip," she said. "The intensive care doctors are sending out one cry for help after another. Who are we if we ignore these emergency calls?" Some German states, including Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Baden-Wuerttemberg, have already sharpened their rules in anticipation of the new law.
But critics say it does not go far enough, with doctors and scientists calling for a quick, hard lockdown to bring infections under control while the country's vaccination effort picks up pace.
"A standardisation of the rules is welcome, but they are not far-reaching enough," Thorsten Lehr, a professor of clinical pharmacy at Saarland University, told Der Spiegel.
Social Democrat MP and epidemiologist Karl Lauterbach told Die Welt newspaper the watered down curfews would "extend the duration of the lockdown and, unfortunately, lead to unnecessary deaths".
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) health agency reported 24,884 new cases in the past 24 hours on Wednesday and 331 deaths, with a national incidence rate of 160.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 26 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 26 April 2024
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
Nasreen Noori’s book ‘Popatan Jahra Khwab’ launched
Wafaqi Mohtasib inspection team visits Excise and taxation office
AJLAC announces 5th Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil ..
Pak-US officials engage to enhance trade, investment ties
More Stories From World
-
Microsoft, Google earnings shine as AI drives revenue
6 minutes ago -
Man City crush Brighton to close gap on Arsenal in title race
7 minutes ago -
Atletico face Bilbao challenge in Champions League race
16 minutes ago -
Man City in title groove as Arsenal face Spurs test
17 minutes ago -
Japan anime studio draws on talent of autistic artists
36 minutes ago -
Pakistan needs strong defence in view of its location in 'rough' neighbourhood: Masood Khan
37 minutes ago
-
Bangladesh children sweat at home as heatwave shuts schools
47 minutes ago -
Iconic shared Olympic gold moment will not be repeated, says Barshim
47 minutes ago -
Bangladesh children sweat at home as heatwave shuts schools
1 hour ago -
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leave after 20 years of ..
2 hours ago -
Golf: PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans scores
2 hours ago -
Slot 'confident' of Liverpool job as 'negotiations' take place
8 hours ago